The Golden Raven
by 84-Quill-72
Summary: Ginny finds out that her whole life has been a lie and she finds comfort in the most unlikely of people as she struggles to accept who she is and discover who she will become.  Rated M for later chapters
1. Chapter 1

The Golden Raven

Chapter One

Ginny Weasley sat on her bed in the Gryffindor dormitory trying to absorb everything that she had just been told. She was going through all of the events leading up to the biggest discovery of her life.

_She had been in Defence Against the Dark Arts for the first class of her second year and noticed that there was a different teacher in the front of the class. He was younger and better looking than the last one had been although he had a ragged look about him._

_ "I am Professor Lupin." He said after everyone had taken his or her seat. "I am obviously your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." _

_ He went on to outline the coming year and what he hoped to cover but Ginny was too busy trying to figure out where she had seen him before. _

_ Lupin started the attendance and the class was quiet save for those replying when their names were called. _

_ "Ginny Weasley." Lupin called and when she looked up to reply she saw that he was staring at her strangely._

_ "Present, sir." Ginny said shifting uncomfortably in her chair. **He looks kind of familiar.** Ginny thought straining her mind to figure out where she'd seen him. The spell broke however when he looked away ad began his lecture._

_ After class Ginny caught up with Hermione and the guys and all at once they started talking about the new teacher._

_ "Don't you think he looks like that big wizarding actor Phrey Boggartt?" Hermione asked slapping Ron's hand away from her homework._

_ Ginny brightened, "That's probably why he looks so familiar." The four of them were arguing about whether or not he could've been related to Boggartt when Snape came up behind them and tapped Ginny on the shoulder with his wand._

_ "Miss Weasley," Snape began in a kinder tone than any of them had heard him use before. "If you still wish to begin what we had discussed earlier then meet me in the Potions Lab tonight at seven." After Ginny's eager nod and sweet smile, Snape swept off in the direction of the dungeons._

_ Ginny turned away for the inquiring looks of her brother and his friends and walked off in the direction of her next lesson._

_ On the way she walked passed Lupin and though he looked handsome and harmless, she had the feeling that his gaze followed her all the way down the hall._

_ Three hours later, she was in Charms working on the new spell with Flitwick's new assistant Blaise when McGonagall came in and took her out of class without even letting her collect her books._

_ "Come Miss Weasley." She said sternly although she looked very concerned. Ginny was led into Dumbledore's office, a place she had visited only once before when it had been thought that she was the heir of Slytherin. As she stepped into the large round room she noticed that she wasn't the only person to be dragged out of class, Fred, George and Ron had as well. _

_ "Miss Weasley," Dumbledore began, "We have brought you and your brothers here to explain something very important." There was a large crash as three very sooty people came tumbling from the fireplace._

_ Molly and Arthur Weasley stood up and Snape went over to assist the young woman with hot pink hair to her feet. Dumbledore glared at the young woman who looked sheepishly down at her feet. _

_ "As I was saying, Ginny there is a large secret from your past that has been kept from you for far too long." At this he looked over at Molly and Arthur who met his gaze defiantly. _

_ "You were raised to believe that Molly and Arthur were you parents and that their sons were your brothers. This is not true."_

_ Ginny and the boys started and stared at the headmaster with confusion, "If they aren't, then who is?" Ginny asked, almost afraid of the answer._

_ "I am." Said a voice from the shadows behind where Snape was standing. Out of the darkness stepped one of the last people Ginny would have expected, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin._

Ginny started out of her reverie as a hard knock sounded on the door. The young pink haired woman walked in and closed the door. "Can I talk to you?"

"Why?" Ginny snapped staring anywhere but at the strange looking woman.

"Because I thought that you might have some questions about your mom." The woman smiled softly, "My name's Tonks by the way."

"Two questions; one, what kind of name is 'Tonks' and what the hell could you possibly know about my mom?"

Tonks winced at the sadness in the young girls voice, "Tonks is my last name, I don't like my first name. In response to the last question, I was one of your mother's best friends."

Ginny stood up, gathered some books and put them into her bag before snatching up her wand, "I have to go."

"I'm sure that your teachers wouldn't mind if you missed a class or two seeing as you just found out-"

"Just found out what? That everything that I've ever been told is a lie? Or maybe that the people I trusted the most in the world were the ones lying to me?" Ginny was standing before Tonks, her light red hair going darker and more vibrant with every word showing that she had inherited her mother's talent and it was very well developed.

"I just meant that no one would mind if you took the afternoon off to digest what you just heard." Tonks said gently.

"Maybe they wouldn't but I would especially since the class I would be missing is Potions." With a very proud snap of her hip length hair Ginny sauntered out the door leaving Tonks to wonder if she had just been talking to her friend or her friend's daughter.

Minutes later Ginny was venting to Snape as she mixed a calming draught for the hospital wing, "Why the hell did he just leave me there, he could have taken me with him."

"Ginny-" Snape began only to have her cut him off again.

She tossed the powdered moonstone in and turned to get the syrup of hellbore not noticing that the smoke from the potion had turned from a calm purple to a noxious green.

Dumbledore entered the Potions Lab followed by McGonagall and Lupin and were abruptly stopped by a very concerned looking Snape.

"What's going on Severus?" McGonagall asked in a hushed voice before noticing the menacing smoke coming from the cauldron.

"She's a bit angry." Severus said glaring at Lupin and quickly ushering the newcomers to the far end of the potions lab.

Ginny whirled around to face the group, her hair a very bright shade of scarlet and her grey eyes stormy, "I – am – not – angry." Before any of them could respond the cauldron suddenly erupted in a large noxious cloud of smoke, spewing its contents all over the room completely covering Ginny and narrowly missing the teachers in the corner.

Lupin started forward towards his daughter only to be held back by Snape, "I wouldn't if I were you."

Ginny grabbed her wand, glared at Lupin and stalked out of the room and down the corridor. She rounded the corner and ran straight into a tall Slytherin. He grabbed her arms before she fell backwards. Ginny looked up to tell him off but the words caught in her throat as she looked into the most handsome face she'd ever seen.

"You alright?" The boy asked in a slight accent that she couldn't place. Ginny nodded and then, realizing that she was covered in potion and smelled horrible blushed, pushed his hands off her and ran into the nearest girls lavatory.

She came out ten minutes later after magically tidying herself up and realized that the boy – who she had recognized as the Charms assistant - was still standing there with her books that she had forgot to grab from the potions lab in his arms.

He came over to her and smiled softly, "Here, Snape said that you left these in the lab." He handed them to her and she was amazed that a Slytherin could be so gentlemanly.

"Thank-you" Ginny said and then, seeing the smudges of potion on his robes blushed again. "Sorry about that." She motioned to the damp spots on his arms.

He looked down and smirked, "Don't worry about it." He waved his wand and was clean in seconds. "Hey, I didn't get your name."

Ginny opened her mouth to answer and realized that she wasn't sure what her last name was. "Ginny." He nodded, suddenly realizing who she was.

"I'm-" He was cut off by a shout from the other end of the corridor.

"Blaise what the hell are you doing wasting your time with that blood traitor?" Draco Malfoy walked up beside the taller boy and sneered at Ginny, "You have gunk in your hair Weaselette"

Ginny glared at the blonde, "Thank you Malfoy, for reminding me of the amazing tryst I've just come from." She smiled coyly over at Blaise and turned to leave when Malfoy grabbed her wrist.

"Don't pretend that your worthy of a tryst with a Slytherin you stupid little Weaselette." He snarled and shrugged Blaise's hand off when Lupin walked around the corner.

"You might want to find a new nickname for her." The teacher said as he bent to pick up the books that had fallen out of Ginny's hands.

"Why would I do that?" Draco sneered disdainfully at the older man.

Lupin smiled as Ginny snatched her books from her current least favorite teacher, "Because her name isn't Weasley anymore,"

"Really, then what is it?"

"Lupin" The two boys looked at her astounded and with a malevolent glare at the professor Ginny spun around and ran in the direction of the Gryffindor dormitory.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Hermione was sitting in the common room when Ginny tore through the portrait hole; the former with a look of pity and astonishment on her face which only succeeded in pissing Ginny off more.

"Ginny," The older girl came to her side as Tonks walked in the room. "Is there anything that I can do? Do you want to talk or -"

"No I don't want to talk and no there isn't anything that you can do Hermione, why would you think that there was?" The young red head pushed Hermione away and whirled around to climb the stairs to the dormitory when Tonks grabbed her arm and dragged her out into the corridor.

"You do need to talk to someone and if you won't talk to your friends then you'll come and talk to us." With that Ginny found herself being dragged through Hogwarts towards the dungeons.

"Where the hell are you taking me?" Ginny asked as they rounded the corner that led to Snape's private rooms.

"I'm taking you to someone that I know you'll talk to." The woman said opening the door and gently but firmly pulling Ginny in behind her.

Snape glanced up from the novel in his hands and looked questioningly from Tonks to Ginny, sighed at the look in Ginny's eyes and put the novel down.

"Nymph, what are you doing?" He stood to bring in two more chairs glaring at Tonks, "You shouldn't force her; if she's anything like Raven, she'll just go out of her way to make the situation more difficult."

"And if she's anything like Remus she'll want to talk to people she knows won't treat her differently." Tonks retorted gently pushing Ginny into a chair before going to join Snape at the other side of the room.

"How do you propose we get her to talk, torture?" Snape asked in a hushed voice as he glared at the woman before him.

Tonks snorted, "No stupid we're going to reminisce about her mom and answer the questions that she's bound to ask and when she's more comfortable she'll start talking to us." The tone she used suggested that it was the most obvious course of action since breathing.

Snape sighed and shook his head before sitting back down to begin the plan that he was sure wouldn't work. But before either of them could say anything Ginny flew past step one and tumbled into step two.

"What was my mom's name?" The redhead asked in a small voice. Snape looked at Tonks who just stared back at him clearly confused by the simplicity of the question.

"Her name before she married your father was Raven Mitchell." Snape answered her before conjuring a tray of tea up for them.

"How did you know her?" Ginny shot at Tonks who had risen to pour the tea; Snape was about to reprimand Ginny on her tone when Tonks handed him the teapot.

"She was my best friend." The older woman sat back down a look of sadness on her face. "We were kinda like the female version of the Marauders, except that there were more of us." She smiled into her tea as she remembered.

"What do you mean 'more of us'?" Ginny asked as she leaned forward to accept the tea Snape handed her.

It was Snape who spoke this time, "The Marauders as you all so fondly call them were only three annoying boys and one highly intelligent boy; James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin." Ginny nodded as Tonks took up the explanation.

"There were six of us, three metamorphmagus' and three "normal" witches; Me, Raven, Lily Evans, Narcissa Black, Serenity Snape, and Arnina Black."

Ginny stared at the woman before her shock the only emotion readable on her face. "You were friends with Malfoy's mom? And you have a sister?"

Tonks smiled at her gently, "No, I was friends with the woman who would become Draco's mother. She was a different person before she met Lucius; she was kind and would've done anything she could to help anyone who needed it."

"And yes I had a sister. Serenity was my twin and probably the only person besides Raven and Lily who would confess to being my friend." Snape said as he collected the dishes and sent them to the kitchen. "Now Ginny I have a question for you; what are you going to do with the knowledge that you possess about your family?"

"I have no idea all I know is that I have to change my name to Lupin since he went off and told Malfoy and Zabini that it was my last name."

Tonks looked at her, "What does that have to do with anything?" Ginny stared at her incredulously.

"Malfoy knows the biggest gossip in Slytherin who is on good terms with the two biggest gossips in the school. That little tidbit will be all over the school by halfway through breakfast tomorrow." She rose and headed toward the door, "Thank-you for all the information, I'd really like to know more about her if you wouldn't mind telling me."

Snape walked over to her and smiled, "Of course. Tonks won't be here for much longer but I'll tell you anything you want to know." She smiled back at him as, to Tonks' surprise, he drew her into a fatherly hug.

"I'll see you in class tomorrow." Ginny said as she left to head back to her dormitory.

Tonks slipped in front of Snape and smiled, "So when are you going to tell her that you're her godfather?"

Snape smirked at the young woman before him, "Around the same time you tell her that you're her godmother."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"They said that my mom's name was Raven." Ginny was saying at breakfast the next morning. Her captive audience – Harry, Ron and Hermione – were sitting at the Gryffindor table while the redhead told them about what had happened after Tonks had dragged her out of the common room the night before.

"Really? What house was she in?" Hermione asked reaching for her goblet of juice. Ginny was about to answer when she was tapped on the shoulder.

She turned and faced McGonagall who looked rather concerned "Miss We - Lupin would you please come with me?"

"Sure thing professor. See you guys later." Ginny gathered her bag and followed McGonagall out of the hall. The older woman led her to her office and indicated for her to sit.

"Now professor Dumbledore is telling the staff of what's happened so from now on your name is Lupin alright?"

Ginny nodded "Yeah sure."

McGonagall looked down at the girl before her and winced inwardly at the look of hostility and annoyance on her face. "Your father would like you to meet him in his office after your first class."

"He's not my father." Ginny muttered but nodded before turning and walking away. She walked towards the Charms classroom for her fist lesson but stopped as she walked in.

There was a kaleidoscope of colors swirling around the room creating the most beautiful scenes; a swan descending onto a lake only to turn into a gorgeous young woman. Ginny recognized it as a scene from her favorite ballet Swan Lake and quietly made her way down to the front of the class to see who was creating the beauty.

Blaise was sitting on the edge of the professor's desk watching the scene unfold before him. He hadn't been able to get it out of his head since the night before; it had haunted his dreams but the swan had always turned into a redhead rather the traditional blonde.

It baffled him, there was no reason for that small encounter with Ginny Weas - Lupin to stick in his mind. He'd seen her dozens of times around the school since he had transferred and hadn't cared but there was something about last night... He suddenly noticed that she was standing in front of him,jumped and dropped his wand causing the colors to fizzle and die.

"I'm sorry ... I saw the scene when ... I didn't mean to walk in ... it's just that..." Ginny's rambling broke off and she looked down at her feet, her cheeks going pink.

Blaise chuckled and stood, "It's alright. I was just killing time til class started." He bent and retrieved his wand , "Most people would've left. What made you stay?"

"It was Swan Lake" She mumbled. "It's my favorite ballet."

"Mine too." Blaise turned to gather his books off the desk "I didn't mean to embarrass you so badly."

"You didn't... I just.. It was beautiful. Where did you learn to do that?" Ginny asked her cheeks going darker.

Blaise shrugged, "Flitwick taught me. It's not that hard if you've a mind for Charms." He moved to sit at one of the desks, "If you'd like, I could show you."

Ginny stared at him as she put her books down, "I'd like that but I'm afraid it would be a waste of your time. I don't have a mind for Charms, I never have."

He shrugged again, "I think you could do it if you decided that you wanted to. But it's your choice."

She was about to answer when the rest of the class started to file in with Flitwick not far behind. Ginny sat with Harry, Ron and Hermione and tried to concentrate on the lesson but her eyes kept drifting over to where Blaise sat with Draco and Pansy.

A few hours after dinner that night, Ginny was on her way back from her extra potions lessons when she heard approaching footsteps; she ducked behind a pillar and pressed herself into the shadows.

"What the hell are you doing mooning over that stupid little Gryffindor?" Draco asked Blaise as they walked back to their common room.

Blaise shrugged, "She nice and intelligent. It's great to have someone in this school that I can talk to and have completely intellectual conversations with." He stopped for a moment a few steps beyond Ginny's hiding place, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.

"She's a waste of time, the only thing that she could possibly be good for is a few quick shags." Draco said smirking. "And if you do end up shagging her let me know how she is, I've always wanted to try a red head.'

Blaise hit Draco with one of his textbooks, "Don't you ever let me catch you objectifying a woman like that again you prick." With that he stalked away, stopping only to whisper "_quietus extraho_" and stormed into the common room.

Ginny watched astounded as Draco, rubbing his injured arm, followed his Italian friend. "Why the hell would he stand up for me like that?" She muttered to herself as she walked back to the Gryffindor common room.

She smiled at Hermione and the twins as she walked up to her dormitory; after changing and braiding her long hair, she collapsed onto her bed with a sigh. As she closed her eyes she remembered the beautiful display in the Charms classroom earlier and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

A few days after the Blaise's offer for Charms lessons Ginny was still trying to decide if she wanted to accept it. She was on her way to her extra potions lessons but stopped and snapped out of her thoughts when she reached the door to Snape's office, hearing noises that she had never associated with Snape before: moaning and short quick breaths.

Not wanting to walk right in she raised her hand and knocked - quite loudly - on the door to announce her presence. There was a rush of sounds, furniture scraping and a woman swearing, before Snape opened the door looking rather flustered. "Ginny, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here for my potions lessons." Ginny said giving her teacher a strange look. She glanced into the classroom and saw a woman with bright red hair run towards Snape's private rooms.

Snape stared down at her, confused, "Your lesson doesn't start until seven."

"It is seven professor." Ginny said slowly, "Is everything alright?"

Snape looked at his watch and cursed under his breath, "Yes Ginny everything is fine although I'm going to have to reschedule your lesson; I'm meeting a family member in Hogsmede in half an hour. How about tomorrow night, same time?"

"Yeah sure I'll see you then." Ginny said not believing a word of it. "Bye professor." She turned and headed to the library to study for History of Magic.

Snape walked back into his private rooms and locked the door. "That was close." He turned to the redhead who sat on his bed.

"Way too close Sev." Tonks said looking incredibly embarrassed. "Maybe we should wait until break."

Snape smirked as he walked over and sat behind her, "If you'd rather." He said before placing a kiss on her neck, gently biting his way down to where her neck met her shoulder.

Tonks sighed happily and pressed back into him, "You don't fight fair." She turned so she was facing him and tangled her fingers in his hair as she nibbled up his jawline.

"All's fair in love and war." He began undoing her shirt, shuddering slightly as she grazed her teeth against his neck.

Tonks, impatient and worked up from their exertions in his office, waved her hand ridding them of their clothes and kissed Snape passionately.

Snape pulled her down on top of him and positioned himself at her entrance without breaking the kiss. She broke away long enough to watch his face as she lowered herself onto him, wincing a little at the stretching -they hadn't done this in awhile.

He groaned and started thrusting upwards, angling his his slightly so that he hit her g-spot with every thrust. Tonks cried out the first time he hit it and, in an attempt to reduce her volume, kissed him deeply and gently pulled his hair every now and then, loving the growls that sounded every time.

Snape, thrust harder and drove Tonks gasping over the edge and followed her closely. After she caught her breath, Tonks rolled off him and snuggled closer, loving the feel of his body against hers.

"We're going to get caught one day." Snape said as he pulled the blankets over them and put his arm over her waist.

"Just once I'd like you to say something good after we have sex." Tonks said half-heartedly as she began falling asleep.

Snape smiled and kissed her shoulder, "You're beautiful. Better?"

She gave a sleepy giggle "A little." She rolled over, pushed him onto his back, rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes as sleep claimed her.

Snape sighed and closed his eyes waiting for the bliss of sleep.

* * *

Ginny walked around the corner on her way back to the dormitory and collided with Blaise. "Oh! Bugger, Blaise I'm sorry." She went pink as she knelt to pick up her books.

Blaise just chuckled as he knelt to help her, "It's alright, I can think of worse things to do than to run into a good looking girl everyday." He laughed when she went a shade redder.

She glared at him but her eyes sparkled with laughter. "I've been thinking about your offer to teach me that charm."

Blaise helped her to her feet, "Yes?" Part of him was silently hoping she'd say no so that she could be spared the ridicule of Draco but a larger part prayed that she'd say yes.

"And I've decided to accept. It could be fun." She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and was pleased to see him smile.

"It'll be great. So what days do you have your extra potions lessons?"

"Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays." She smiled at Luna as the girl walked by.

Blaise nodded politely at the blonde earning a strange look from a passing Slytherin "Alright then what if we use Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays?"

"That'll work and I'll still have Sunday to relax." Ginny said "Now if you'll excuse me I have a transfiguration paper to finish or McGonagall is going to turn me into a parrot."

Blaise laughed at the thought of this gorgeous red head as a bird, "Alright I'll see you tomorrow night in the Charms classroom after dinner." Ginny flashed him a radiant smile and sauntered up the stairs.

Blaise watched her until she was out of sight and turned to go to the dungeons and almost walked into Draco. "Hey Draco what's up?"

"You might want to break your date with red tomorrow night if you don't want some of the other guys to rearrange your face." The blonde said as the pair began to walk back to the dorm.

Blaise shook his head, "I'm helping her with her charms, I can easily say Flitwick told me to tutor her,"

Draco shrugged "I don't care what you do mate I'm just telling you what the guys said. Hey what do you think of Granger?"

"She's okay I guess why?"

"No reason." He shrugged again and whispered the password and they walked into the common room.

"I've got home work, I'll talk to you later." Blaise said and walked into his room. He saw a note on his pillow, opened it and, after reading the threat, tossed it in the fireplace with a look of disgust before he settled in to do his potions.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Ginny was walking out of the Great Hall after lunch, reading a potions textbook, turned the corner and walked right into Lupin sending her textbook flying across the Entrance Hall.

"Sorry _professor_." She said, her voice dripping with hatred. "Accio book."

Lupin grabbed the book as it flew towards his head "Ginny we need to talk."

"I have nothing to say to you." She snatched her book from him and turned to walk away. Lupin grabbed her wrist and spun her around.

"Then you'll listen to what I have to say." He pulled her into classroom eleven and closed the door. "I want to tell you why I had to leave you after your mother died. I had to leave you somewhere where you'd be safe, I was going into hiding and that would've been no life for a child."

Ginny sat on one of the desks and began flipping through her textbook looking bored, barely listening to him.

"If I left you with the Weasleys you'd be safe, you'd be free to be a child." Lupin stepped closer to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, "I did it for you're own good."

Ginny pushed his hand off her shoulder and stood up. "My own good? If you had been thinking of my good you would've kept me with you. I had just lost my mother, I needed you! You're my _father_ and if that had meant _anything_ to you, you wouldn't've left me!"

"Ginny you don't understand..."

Ginny grabbed her book and glared at him, her brown eyes glowing with anger "All I understand is that my father _abandoned_ me and left me with complete strangers while he ran away from his responsibilities." She turned to leave but pause at the door "I wish you had died instead of mum, at least she wouldn't've left me."

With that she threw open the door and stormed out leaving an astonished Lupin staring after her.

Ginny's anger blazed around her like an invisible force causing people to part like the Red Sea as she stormed down to the dungeons. She blew the door open and slammed her book down on the first desk she found.

She walked up to where Snape sat at his desk staring at her, "I want to know what happened to my mother." She said in a low, cold voice.

"Ginny I think you need to calm down and wait until you're a little more rational." Snape stood and walked around his desk to her and went to place a gentle hand on her arm.

Ginny threw her hand up and stepped away from him, "I don't want to calm down and I don't want to be rational, I want to know what happened to my mother and why it wasn't Lupin."

"Alright." Snape sighed, "It was a week after your second birthday, the Dark Lord was looking for your family and to keep you safe, you're parents moved to a Muggle neighbourhood. One night a Deatheater managed to find them and he cornered them in a bedroom; he sent the killing curse at you and your father grabbed you, saving you. Your mother leaped at the Deatheater and started beating him, trying to push him out of the room; she told your father to take you and get out and that she would follow, Lupin did so and when he looked back all he saw was a flash of green and then the Deatheater at the window trying to find you."

Ginny sank into a chair, her face pale, her eyes swimming with tears "Do you know who it was?" She whispered "The Deatheater?"

"No." Snape sat across from her and gently touched her hands. "No I don't." Ginny stared at him, her eyes boring into his searching for a lie.

"Please don't be lying to me Snape, with everyone else lying to me I couldn't bear it if you did too." She said softly, tears sliding down her cheeks. Snape pulled her into his arms and held her, gently stroking her hair.

Lupin walked in, looking for Ginny and froze. He stood in the doorway watching Snape be the strong, comforting presence in Ginny's life. _He's more of a father to her than either Arthur or myself ever were._

"Are you ever going to give him a chance?" Snape asked softly.

Ginny shook her head "No. He left me when I needed him most. And by coming forward and telling me that I'm not a Weasley, he isolated me from the only family I've ever known."

"Ginny..."

"**_No_**. You're the closest thing I have to a father Snape and right now that's all I need." She pulled away, "I have to go, I've wasted your prep time, sorry." She wiped her face and and turned to get her book when she saw Lupin watching them with a pained expression on his face. She grabbed her book and walked out not looking at him.

Snape held up a hand before Lupin could say anything "Give her a chance to process everything. She's just found out that her whole life was a lie, that her mother sacrificed her life so that you could save her and that you left her with the Weasleys. She isn't going to get over all that in a few weeks."

Lupin sighed and nodded "It just hurt to hear her say what she did."

"I know. Give her time."

Lupin nodded again and then he walked out.

* * *

After dinner the next day Ginny dropped her books off in the Tower and changed out of her uniform. She chose a pair of low rise jeans, a tight, one shoulder white top and a cropped leather jacket. She slipped her feet into some white ballet flats and then headed to the Charms classroom.

"Huh, he's not here yet." Ginny said and checked her watch, "I am a little early." she settled at a desk to wait, hoping Blaise wouldn't bee too long.

Meanwhile Blaise was on his way up from the dungeons when he noticed a rather large crowd following him. He caught a good glimpse of them as he turned a corner and swore under his breath. They were the guys that had left him the note a few nights ago, the note that he had ignored, even after Draco's warning. He still remembered what it had said:

_**Your loyalty lies with the Slytherins, not with some tart from Gryffindor. **_

_**Ditch her and stay with your own if you know what's good for you. **_

_**If you don't it'll be on your head should anything happen to her to make her less appealing.**_

He was just about to slip into a secret passageway that led to the corridor outside Snape's office when he was grabbed by one of the bigger guys in the group.

"Where are you going Zabini?" He asked in a deep gruff voice. Blaise looked at the crowd around him and knew that no matter what he said he was in for it. Seeing no way out he merely shrugged and tried to dislodge his arm from the larger man's grip.

"You're not going anywhere." Another voice piped up as the mob closed in, "And we'll be sure to send your tart the same message." Blaise's eyes flashed and, even though he knew he stood no chance, he swung at the scrawny one who had threatened Ginny; as the punch landed, all hell broke loose and he was swallowed in a mass of flying fists.

Ginny looked at her watch for what seemed like the hundredth time, and sighed getting to her feet. It was half an hour past when Blaise told her to meet him here and he hadn't shown. "He's probably in the Slytherin common room laughing with Malfoy about how he's got me waiting here for him."

She thought about leaving a nasty surprise in his desk for him but then she remembered that his wasn't the first Charms class the next day. She decided to enlist Hermione's help when she got back to the common room.

"Never trust a Snake Ginny," She muttered to herself. "No matter how nice said Snake seems."

Draco found Blaise unconscious a couple feet from where he had been attacked. "I told you to leave her but did you listen?" He asked as he conjured up a stretcher and loaded his friend onto it. "Of course you didn't. You never do."

He made a mental note to rub this in when Blaise was conscious but settled with being the one to be there when the Italian woke up, a very smug smirk in place.

Blaise was kept in the Hospital Wing for a week to heal his internal injuries; the week without seeing him and no explanation for being stood up did _nothing_ for Ginny's disposition.

The gang that had attacked Blaise tried to do the same thing to Ginny on her way back from her extra lessons with Snape. Little did they know was that she was getting not only Potion lessons from him but also some advanced Defence Against the dark Arts. So when they surrounded her in the dark corridor, she gladly showed them her mastery of the mass stupefy spell.

When Ginny did see Blaise, he was still covered in quite a few bruises and, although she had no idea how he had gotten them, she hoped they hurt. She had tried to see if he was alright, but every time she tried to talk to him, he had walked away like she wasn't even there.

Blaise hated seeing the hurt look that passed through Ginny's eyes when he ignored her but he knew that if he spoke to her she get hurt.

* * *

Two weeks after the attack on Blaise, Ginny was sitting in the Great Hall reading for a History of Magic essay when a large eagle owl alighted on the table beside her elbow. She took the note from it's beak, a suspicious look on her face and when she opened it, her fears were not allayed:

_**I have the answers to your questions. **_

_**Meet me in 15 minutes behind Greenhouse Number 4.**_

Looking around Ginny could see no one suspicious enough to have sent her the note and upon looking at the teachers table she noticed that Lupin wasn't present. "That stupid..." She shook her head and got up, if he wanted to meet with her then she'd go, if only to yell at him a little more.

He saw Ginny leave the Great Hall and smiled to himself, _I can't believe she's actually going. I thought for sure that she'd torch the note. _The note writer got up and followed Ginny from the Hall at a good enough distance so as not to be suspicious. He smiled when he saw Brody - one of those responsible for the attack on Blaise - flinch when Ginny walked by.

_No one's following you. You're getting to be as paranoid as Snape._ She told herself after looking over her shoulder for the fifth time. She shook her head and laughed at the thought of her becoming anything like Snape.

Ginny got to the greenhouse five minutes before she was supposed to and used the time to check for any Slytherin mad "accidents." Finding none, she had just settled in to wait when she heard the rapid approach of someone much to light and fast to be Lupin. She stood in the shadow of the greenhouse and, as the figure rounded the corner she flicked her arm out, her fist connecting with a nose.

"What the Hell?" Draco stopped dead and grabbed his nose. "I haven't done anything..." He broke off as his nose started bleeding.

Ginny laughed and waved her hand, mending his nose. "Really? You haven't done anything?"

"...Today." Draco said glaring at the red head. "Now if you're finished attacking me, do you want to know what happened with Blaise?"

Ginny sat down on the edge of a planter and raised an eyebrow, "He stood me up."

"No, he got mobbed on his way to meet with you." He watched her and not seeing a reaction, swore. "Look, he wanted to meet with you, but some of the guys aren't as forgiving as myself when it comes to you Lovely Lions-"

"_'Lovely Lions'_?"

"That's what some of us call the better looking Gryffindor girls." He shrugged and carried on. "They gave him a fair warning but he, being the stubborn twit he is, ignored it and went anyway. So they followed him, cornered him and beat the living daylights out of him. I got there too late to prevent the beating but I did get him to the Hospital wing which is why he's still around."

Ginny nodded slowly "Alright that makes up for the missed lesson but what about him acting like I don't exist for the last two weeks?"

"They made a threat towards your safety so he thinks that by not acknowledging you he's protecting you."

"That's-"

"Ridiculous I know, I saw your little mass stupefy so believe me, I know you can take care of yourself." He touched his nose and glared at her. "Trust me."

"Sorry about that, I thought you were Lupin." Ginny said softly, not looking at him.

Draco shrugged, "Don't worry about it, I want to break my dads nose on the best occasions."

"So why are you telling me this? What do you get out of it?"

Draco sighed, "Blaise is my best friend, and he's miserable. I'm going to try to get you two back on speaking terms."

Suspicion flashed in Ginny's eyes, "And in return?"

He laughed "You're way too suspicious for a Gryffindor. But yes I would like something." He broke off, not sure how to phrase his request. "There's this girl,"

"You need help to get a girl?" Ginny said incredulously. "You, the Slytherin playboy, need my help to get a girl?"

"Yes, now shut up and I'll tell you why." Draco snapped and she shut her mouth, curious in spite herself. "She's classy, way too good for a -"

"Twit?"

Icy glare, "- Guy like me. I need your help to be a better person." He held his breath as he waited for her response.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to end up like my father. I know the things that he's done and I don't want to be forced into that life." Draco said softly, not looking at her.

"So in return for a few lessons in manners, you'll try to fix whatever went wrong with Blaise and myself?" Ginny asked, making sure she had it right.

He nodded and looked at her, holding out his hand "Do we have a deal?"

"What house is she in?" Draco stared at her and wondered if he should lie; one look in her eyes told him that lying wouldn't be good for his health.

"Gryffindor." She nodded and shook his hand.

"Deal. When should we meet next?"

"I'll send you a time and date in the next couple of days." Ginny nodded and turned to leave.

"Mal- Draco," He looked at her, stunned to hear his given name.

"Do I know her?"

"Yes." And with that Draco stood, nodded to her and walked back to the castle.

"Snake or no Snake, he's totally gone for this girl."

* * *

Sorry of the wait but my brain wouldn't co-operate.

Hope it was worth it, please rate and review. :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

"How could you tell her Snape?" Tonks shouted at her lover, her eyes blazing. "How could you look her - your _goddaughter_ - in the eye and tell her that you didn't know who killed her mother?"

Snape sat on his bed listening to the witch before him pace back and forth across the room, he was still trying to figure out how he had lied to Ginny.

"What's going to happen if she finds out that you lied to her?" Tonks continued "Did you _**ever**_ stop to think of that? If she finds out she's _**never**_ going to trust you again!"

Snape stood and walked over to the woman who was yelling at him, taking her by the shoulders, making her stop and look at him "She isn't going to find out. No one but you and I know, Nymph; I don't even think that Albus knows."

Tonks looked into his dark eyes and saw something that she hadn't seen earlier, and in truth, hardly ever saw: terror. He was terrified of loosing Ginny's trust but at the same time he was terrified of telling her _who_ had killed her mother.

Snape let go of the witch and sat down on the bed, his head in his hands, "I couldn't tell her Nymph. I don't want to be the one who tells her." His voice sounded tired, and strained and for the first time in a long time Tonks realized just how hard he tried to make life easy or at least bearable for Ginny usually at great expense on his own part.

She crouched in front of him and took his face in her hands gently, "She deserves to know, she's going to find out and when she does she's going to have questions, questions that only you can answer." She lightly ran her fingers over his face "She needs you Sev."

The man sighed, staring at the young woman before him, "I know. I'll tell her but not at school, she doesn't need to deal with that here."

Tonks nodded agreeing completely and found herself being pulled up onto the bed "Stay Nymph." Snape kissed her and wrapped his arms around her slim figure.

Ginny was sitting in the sun by the lake with Hermione reading the advanced potion text book Snape had given her while the older girl did homework for one of her many classes. She was almost totally engrossed when she heard Hermione snap at someone.

"Get out of the sun." The third year didn't even look up from the book in her lap to see who was standing in her light. Ginny did and let out a giggle at the look on Draco's face.

"Really Hermione, you should look before you snap like that." She winked at the Slytherin telling him to play along. "I'm sure that Professor Vector doesn't appreciate it." Malfoy suppressed a laugh when Hermione's head shot up and around so fast he thought he heard it crack.

"Hey Granger." He smirked down at her, but today his smirk wasn't the hard, condescending one that usually graced his face but a soft,almost fond one that had Hermione blushing a bit even though she didn't really know why.

"Ginny that was low." She glared at the red head before turning back to Malfoy "Was there something you needed?" Draco motioned to the grass beside her in a silent question. She nodded and moved her books behind her; he sat giving her a small smile.

"I heard an interesting tidbit this morning and I felt like sharing." He said leaning back and stretching his long legs out in front of him. "Any idea what said tidbit was?"

"Your family discovered that you were switched at birth and you're really a muggle born?" Ginny said with a grin. Hermione swatted her leg and shushed her.

Draco glared at her "No. I heard Dumbledore talking to McGonagall about the upcoming Founder's Ball." Ginny stared at him and then looked to Hermione for an explanation.

"The Founder's Ball is a celebration of the creation of Hogwarts." Hermione started as if on cue. "It's held once every one hundred years and is open to not only the school's staff and board but the students and their parents as well."

Draco nodded "It's the most important party that Hogwarts takes part in. And it's ripe with tradition, to the point that if you miss a step, you either have to start all over again or just not go."

Hermione looked a little surprised that he had known that but she nodded and looked at Ginny "What do you think now that you know what it is?"

"It sounds interesting and defiantly the kind of thing for me to avoid." She looked passed Hermione's shocked expression to Draco's, wondering why on earth he would be so disappointed that she didn't want to go.

"Why wouldn't you go?" Hermione asked the younger girl, even she wanted to go and that was quite shocking, she hated dances.

"I don't have the money to get a dress, some shoes and jewelry." Ginny shrugged "Unlike Ron I don't go out of my way to make a fool of my self."

"I'm sure that Lupin would help - "

"No." She turned a glare on the older girl "I am NOT asking that man for anything."

"You don't have to." Draco piped up "Part of the tradition of the Ball is for the man, when he asks the woman, to give her a piece of what she'd wear, like jewelry or even the dress on some occasions." He stopped when the red head's glare shifted to him.

"Are you offering Malfoy?" She asked before gathering her things; he looked away and didn't respond. "I didn't think so. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going somewhere else." She got up and stalked away towards the other side of the lake leaving a very confused pair in her wake.

A few days later the entire school was buzzing with news of the upcoming ball. Girls were hoping the guys they wanted would ask them and trying to come up with clever ploys to discourage the ones they didn't want to ask them.

Hermione wasn't sure who she wanted to ask her all she knew was that she wanted _someone_ to; she talked about it with Angelina and the other girls from the quidditch team but she wished that Ginny was more amicable about it. Whenever someone brought it up in conversation with her, she got testy and usually ended up leaving.

She wished there was something she could do for her friend but every idea she had involved Lupin and she knew that Ginny would not approve.

During this time, unknown to all, Ginny was giving lessons on how to be a good person to Draco and he was trying to get Blaise to talk to the girl he was starting to develop a tentative friendship with. But every ploy he tried ended in either a loud argument or a few spells shot in Draco's general direction.

Eventually, as the weeks passed by and Blaise showed no signs of budging, Draco decided to deliver a very low blow to his friend: he wrote Blaise's mother telling her what had happened and after assuring her that her son was alright, told her what he was doing to the girl about whom the beating had been about.

The result of these letters came on the first Hogsmede weekend; while Draco and Blaise were walking from Honeydukes towards the Three Broomsticks, Blaise's mother apparated a few feet in front of them.

She fixed her son with a stern glare as she approached the boys, "Hello boys. Draco I wonder if I could possibly borrow my son for the rest of the afternoon?"

"Of course Mrs. Zabini." He said to the formidable woman "See you back in the common room." He told Blaise and got out of there as fast as he could without looking guilty.

"Mother what are you doing here?" Blaise asked as Draco made his escape. It's not that he didn't like his mother, he loved her very much; what he didn't like was her interfering with his school which, in a way, she was doing right now.

Serafina Zabini surveyed her son, searching for traces of the beating he had received seeing only a small and fading scar on his upper lip. "Blaise I have heard that you were attacked about a month ago." She watched as her son flinched under her hard glare "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was fine. I didn't want you to worry." He mumbled lamely know what her response would be.

"Blaise, you're my son, I always worry." She gently swatted his head "Now tell me, why did you get attacked?"

Knowing better than to lie, Blaise told his mother everything, from the beginning all the way to just before he and Draco had left the school. "I have no idea why he's so adamant about fixing it and it's starting to get annoying." He scowled when his mother laughed.

"He's doing it because he can see how miserable you are." She paused, wondering how to bring up the next subject. "Blaise you're really fond of this young woman aren't you?"

Blaise's eyes flew to hers, a shocked expression covered his face. "I - it's not - " He sighed in defeat "Is it that obvious?"

Serafina smiled "Only because I'm your mother." She put her arm around her son's shoulders and they started walking back to the school. "Well what are you going to do about it?"

"I have no idea." He said glumly "Ow!" He cried in response to the slap that she'd given the back of his head.

"What do you mean you have no idea? Not talking to her started this whole mess didn't it? That leads to the thought that talking to her might be able to fix it." Blaise opened his mouth to argue but his mother just kept going. "You are going to go back to school, find her and talk her ear off letting her know exactly why you've been such an _asina muta-_"

"I haven't been a dumb ass!" He objected.

"-And then you're going to ask her what you can do to repair you're friendship. Then when you come home for Christmas, you're going to go through my jewelry, find a set that would look wonderful on her and upon your return in January, you _**will**_ ask her to the Founder's Ball." Serfina finished as they approached the gates.

"But-" She silenced him a with a cold, hard glare. "Yes mother."

"Good. Now it's been wonderful to see you darling; have a good end of term and I'll see you for Christmas." With that, she kissed his cheek and, smiling smugly, spun on her heel and disapparated.

Blaise glared at the spot where his mother had been before turning to face the school; he shook his head and started up the walk to the doors.

He felt like a dead man walking as he went to face possibly the scariest thing in the entire school: a pissed off Ginny Lupin who's been stewing for almost a month.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Ginny was curled up in the common room reading her one of her favourite muggle novels, InkHeart, when a frightened looking first year walked over to her.

"Um th-there's a-a guy who w-wants to talk t-to you." The boy said stand a good foot and a half away from her. Ginny looked up from her book a slightly annoyed expression on her face; she put the book down and got up.

"Thanks." She said to the boy and walked out of the tower and straight into none other than Blaise Zabini.

He grabbed her around the waist, keeping her from falling back and inadvertently pressing her against his chest, "Are you alright?"

"Yes I'm alight now get your hands off of me!" She snapped glaring up at him as he did so. "Now what the hell do you want?"

Blaise sighed, he hated the harshness in her voice but he knew that he deserved it. "We need to talk. Will you meet me after dinner?"

Ginny thought for a minute, part of her was so happy that he was talking to her again but another part was still mad at him for being such a jack ass. "Hmm, I don't know. Are you actually gonna show this time?" She felt a little smugness when he flinched at the bard in her voice.

"Yes, I'll be there." He thought about giving her his word but figured that it wouldn't count for much after last time.

"Fine I'll be in the Charms classroom at 7:30. If you don't show after ten minutes I'm leaving and you had better _**never**_ talk to me again." Ginny didn't give the chance to reply, she just turned and stalked into the tower again.

Blaise watched her go and then turned to head back to his common room wondering how to get to their meeting both on time and unharmed.

Ginny walked out of the Great Hall after dinner and headed to the Charms room. She'd let the rumour spread about her going to the astronomy tower and used her newly discovered talent as a metamorphmagus to turn her hair black, her eyes grey and her skin fair with no freckles.

She quickly and quietly slipped through the hallways and passageways and was walking into the classroom at exactly 7:30. Ginny turned and was about to revert to her usual appearance when she came face to face with Blaise. She gave a yelp and jumped back, whipping her wand out of her pocket so fast she didn't even realize that she had done it.

"Whoa! Look Red I realize that you may not like me but that's no reason to hex me." Blaise said backing up a bit, his hands raised.

"How did you do that?" She asked as her appearance restored itself and she put her wand away.

Blaise looked at her, confused "Do what?" He watched in amazement as her new, dark looks faded into the fiery ones he love.

"How did you know it was me?" She asked as she stepped around him and perched on the edge of the teacher's desk.

Blaise shrugged "Only you would be here now, at this specific time, with your wand pointing at me. It's simple logic Red."

"Don't call me that." She scowled "Now, get to the point. What do you want?" He sighed and turned, going to sit on the desk facing her.

"I'm sorry. I was an idiot. I got attacked on my way to our first meeting; a bunch of the guys didn't like me spending time with you." He stopped and looked at her. Ginny sat there waiting for him to say something she hadn't heard yet.

"The whole reason I stopped talking to you was because they threatened you. I didn't want anything to happen to you so I thought that if I did what they suggested they'd leave you alone. I hate the fact that it destroyed whatever hopes of a friendship with you I had." He looked away, not wanting to see the cold glare she had on her face. "I really hope that one day you could find yourself able to forgive me but if not I understand."

There, that was what she wanted to hear, the fact that he knew what he had destroyed. She should yell at him, take him down a peg, but she couldn't bring herself to hurt him, not when he had suffered as much - if not more than she had.

"I think that I might be able to forgive you on one condition." She almost laughed at the shocked but hopeful expression on his face.

"Anything. Ginny I'll do anything." Ginny raised an eyebrow at that, he'd just handed her a way to play with him a little before actually telling him what she wanted.

She walked over to him, slowly, deliberately adding a sexy little sway to her hips; she lightly touched his shoulders and leaned down to whisper in his ear, telling him exactly what she wanted him to do.

Blaise's eyes went wide when he heard what she'd told him, "Ginny I can't-"

She pulled back and pouted a little, before lightly sliding her hands down his quidditch toned arms. "But Blaise, you just said you'd do anything. And this really isn't much, and it would make me so happy." She leaned into him, pressing their chests together and stepping closer so that she was settled between his legs.

Blaise sighed at the feel of her body against his and nodded "Alright."

"So what did you ask him to do?" Draco asked the red head who sat beside him on the quidditch pitch.

Ginny smirked up at the blonde "You'll see." She shifted so that she was sitting sideways, looking right at him. "Now, are you going to ask this Lovely Lion to the Founder's Ball?"

He nodded "That was the plan yeah. I just don't know how." Ginny sighed for a playboy the Snake beside her had no clue how to deal with women.

"Ok, what you want to do is find out where she spends most of her alone time."

"That's easy, the library." Draco said.

"Good, now does she have a certain routine that she goes through when she's in the library?"

Draco nodded "She sits in the corner furthest in the back, does her Arithmacy and Ancient Runes homework before moving onto the rest of her homework." He didn't notice Ginny pull out a small scrap of paper and begin to tick things off of it.

"Then she reads ahead to the next chapter of whatever class she has first the next day and then she reads, usually Hogwarts: A History."

Ginny had a hard time hiding the triumphant smile that broke out on her face. "What are you planning on giving her when you ask her, a dress or the jewelry?"

"The jewelry." Ginny nodded and tried to remember what Hermione had said was her favourite stone during one of her conversations with Angelina.

"Alright, I want you to think carefully about how you're going to phrase the way you ask her. Because as soon as you have the jewelry, you're going to ask her if I have to lock the two of you in the library myself." Ginny discreetly slipped her checklist back into her pocket.

Draco nodded, a little shocked at how forcible Ginny could be, he hoped that Blaise knew what he was getting himself into. Of course the Italian had no idea the part Draco had played in the getting him back with Ginny and the blonde hoped it stayed that way.

Now all he had to worry about was keeping Ginny from killing him and try to find a way to figure out Hermione's favourite stone, find a suitable set that would look amazing on the pretty brunette without over shadowing her natural beauty _and _convince her o go to the ball with him.

He really hoped that she said yes, he'd liked her since the end of second year and she'd grown from cute to beautiful over the summer. He hated the fact that they were in separate houses and gits like Potter and Weasley were able to spend more time with her.

Ginny watched him as he processed his thoughts, wishing, not for the first time that Snape would teach her Occulemency. Of course that wouldn't be half as much fun as tricking him into telling her what she wanted to know. She couldn't believe that he'd all but out right told her that he wanted Hermione and that he had yet to notice he'd done so.

Draco snapped out of his revere as their free period ended and gathered his things. Ginny, stuff already together, stood up and grinned down at the older boy. "I'll see you later. And remember, practice what you're going to say to her." She turned to leave as he nodded. She stopped about three feet away "By the way, Hermione's favourite stone is lapis lazuli."

Draco stared after the red head, a dumbfounded expression on his face as Ginny jogged back to the school.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Ginny awoke the next weekend smiling as she remembered that this was the day that she played with Blaise before telling him what she really wanted from him. She hoped he wouldn't be too mad at her, after all he'd put her through, she deserved to give something back to the gorgeous bastard.

She got up, and slipped into a flowy blue sundress, tied her hair back in a messy bun and hunted for some simple accessories. She settled on a silver butterfly necklace and a pair of silver flats; after fastening a pair of diamond studs into her ears, Ginny walked out of the tower and headed down to the potions store room.

Blaise sighed as he walked out of the shower, he'd been dreading this day all week. He knew that compared to what he'd done to Ginny, this little prank was nothing but he _really_ didn't want to do it. He threw on some clothes and headed to the potions store room to meet Ginny.

He couldn't believe what he was about to do, he was about to pull a horrible albeit entertaining prank on one of the most loved teachers in the school. Blaise opened the door, totally intent on telling Ginny to either find someone else to do this with or do it herself; all thoughts of telling her off however, fled his mind when he saw her on the ladder in that dress.

She was leaning off to the side, one foot a few inches off the rung, attempting to grab a small vial off the shelf, her dress riding up a little, showing off the creamy curve of her leg.

Ginny didn't hear the door open and just as she closed her hand around the vial, the foot that was still on the rung slipped and she fell with a startled cry. Blaise moved quickly and put his arms out to catch her, instinctively pulling her close as he did so.

"Oh, hello." Ginny gave him a small smile, not knowing what else to say. The scent that she'd come to discover was unique to Blaise was assaulting her mind and the warmth of his body that was radiating through the thin material of his shirt was causing goosebumps to rise on her bare arms.

"Why is it," He began as he put her on her feet "That whenever I get with an arm's length of you you do something, whether it be trip, slip or collide, and end up in my arms? Is it some sort of hint?"

Ginny went red at the insinuation, "I'm not hinting to anything. You don't have to catch me." She turned and opened the door, carefully checking to see that the corridor was empty before walking out, motioning for Blaise to follow.

"I catch you because if I didn't you'd probably end up breaking something and then you'd yell at me for not doing anything to help you." He said as he followed her down the corridor. He stopped and stared at her as she started tapping on walls every few steps. "Red, what are you doing?"

"Don't call me that." She snapped. "And I'm looking for a door." She knocked and instead of the usual dead _thunk_ sound there was a different, hollow sounding _thud_. "Ha! Found it." She started to press on the stones around a door sized section of the wall, looking for a loose one.

Blaise watched her for a few more minutes before remembering that one of his mother's dead husbands had a study that had a door hidden this way. He gently but firmly nudged her out of the way and pushed the two stones at the top corners of the "door". He was rewarded with the sound of stone grating on stone as the door slid open.

Ginny stared at him, "How did you know that would work?" He shrugged nonchalantly and moved aside for her to enter first.

"Ladies first. And one of my step dad's had a study with a door like this." He followed her through the dark passageway, bringing his wand out "_Lumos_. He told me once that everyone looks for _one_ stone along the sides of a secret door but nobody looks for _two_ in the corners at the top."

Ginny nodded, "That's actually a very good point." They were silent for a few minutes before she voiced her next question "How many step dads have you had?"

Blaise thought for a moment "Six. They're actually the reason that mum and I have so much money: they all left her pots of Galleons in their wills when they died."

"They all died?" She stopped and looked at him, incredulous "_All_ of them?" He nodded and didn't say anything else; he didn't like to talk about his stepfathers, especially about their deaths since most of the magical community believed his mother had killed them for their money.

Ginny was silent for the rest of the time it took to get through the passageway, thinking about how it would feel to lose not only your father but all six of your stepfathers. She could barely come to terms with the recent discovery of the death of her mother, she didn't know how Blaise coped with the conscious knowledge of all the loss in his life.

They walked out of the end of the passageway and were in the section of the kitchens where the meals for the professors were prepared. Ginny looked down the line and realized that it was set up like the head table in the Great Hall; "Well, this should be easy."

Blaise nodded, "So after this we're even? Right?" Ginny looked at him and nodded and suddenly regretted lying to him like this. Blaise took the vial from her hand and walked to a certain setting, uncorked the vial and moved to put a few drops into the goblet.

"Wait!" Ginny put her hand on his wrist. "I don't want you to do this."

"What are you talking about Re- Ginny?"

She sighed, "This wasn't really what I had in mind when I told you I had a condition. You said you'd do anything and I figured that after everything you'd put me through I had the right to put you through a couple hoops too."

He looked at her, he'd had a feeling that this wasn't _really_ what she wanted but he didn't want to question her at the risk of royally pissing her off. "So what do you really want me to do?" He asked, putting the stopper back in the vial.

"I want you to teach me that charm like you said you would." Blaise laughed at the simplicity of the task compared to what he'd been about to do.

After a minute, Ginny started laughing too "I know I really shouldn't've done this to you but when you agreed to do it without any questions I _had_ to see how far you'd go. It's a side effect of being raised with Fred and George."

Blaise shook his head as he stopped laughing. "So can you tell me what exactly I was about to put in this goblet?"

"Fed and George have been working on these tarts, prank tarts to be exact. They have a version of this-" She pointed at the vial "-elixir in the cream. When you eat them you turn into a canary and after a few minutes you moult and you're human again. Or at least, that's what they're aiming for; they've been unsuccessful as of yet."

"So you wanted me to turn Dumbledore into a canary?" Blaise couldn't believe how connivingly evil this woman before him was; she was _definitely_ in the wrong house.

"No, this version of it turns the drinker into a giant puffin." He stared at her and started laughing; he laughed so hard he had tears coming out of his eyes.

"Ok, this really isn't something that we can just not do. We _have_ to put this in somebody's drink." Ginny smiled at him when he told her this.

"Ok, and don't worry about getting caught, I've managed to convince Fred and George to take the fall."

"How?"

"By promising not to tell mum about their Canary Creams. And letting them use that as the name."

"You my dear, are in the wrong house." Blaise said as he put a few drops into Dumbledore's goblet. "Now let's get out of here before someone sees us."

He and Ginny turned to go back through the passage they'd used to come in but realized that there wasn't a way to open the door on this side. "Damn, we're gonna have to go through the kitchens." Ginny said looking around to make sure no one had come in.

"Right, lets go." Blaise took her hand and led the way through the mass of scurrying house elves. They got out and managed to get half way to the Great Hall before they saw any teachers and it was just Trelawny so they didn't have to worry.

"Ok so I'll meet you in the library after breakfast?" Blaise asked her as they approached the Great Hall.

"Outside, at the quidditch pitch under the far set of hoops." Ginny replied; she'd told both Hermione and Draco to meet her there after breakfast as well so she figured one more wouldn't matter. Blaise nodded and reluctantly let her hand go as they parted ways to go to their respective tables.

Ginny sighed as she sat next to Hermione, she didn't understand how she could be thinking of getting involved with Blaise with everything that was going on lately. She shook her head and pushed all thoughts of a relationship out of her mind as she got into a heated discussion about quidditch with Ron and Harry.

Everything was going well until all of a sudden there was a loud _pop_ and the entire hall fell silent. There, sitting at the head table right beside McGonagall, was a giant puffin. The entire hall started laughing as the teachers began trying to reverse the spell. It took a good fifteen minutes before the spell finally wore off and Dumbledore was restored to his usual self.

Fred and George stood and made a grand show of bowing and accepting their classmates cheers; McGonagall was on her way to deliver probably a months worth of detentions when Dumbledore held his hands up for silence.

"That was the most ingenious of all he pranks you two have pulled and possibly in the history of the school." The twins exchanged looks of surprise. "Therefore, I award 15 points to Gryffindor for the ingenuity and the bravery for such a grand prank." The headmaster then lead the hall in a raucous round of applause.

Ginny and Blaise stared up at the headmaster, stunned, wearing an expression akin to those on the faces of the majority of the staff.

"Well that was unexpected." Blaise said as he and Draco walked to the quidditch pitch; he was a little shocked to discover that Draco and Ginny had been hanging out lately but he didn't think too much of it.

"No kidding, did you see the look on McGonagall's face?" Draco laughed as they rounded the corner and saw the girls. His laughter died the minute he saw Hermione sitting next to Ginny, laughing, the small breeze blowing her hair into her face.

"You alright mate?" Blaise asked his friend; he followed his gaze and stiffened momentarily until her realized that Draco was staring not at Ginny, but at Hermione. "So _that's_ your Lion; why didn't you tell me?"

Draco shrugged and waved at the girls when they turned around. They settled on the ground and started chatting about the prank at breakfast; soon however, their talk turned to the Founder's Ball and Ginny became increasingly agitated.

She didn't begrudge the others of their enjoyment of the amazing event, she just wished that she'd be able to attend as well. Ginny sighed and laid back on the grass to stare up at the clouds. She wished she could go, to have someone ask her, to go hunting for the perfect dress, have her hair done and then spend the night dancing with not a care in the world.

Blaise watched the red head out of the corner of his eye as he discussed the ball with the other two, she seemed distracted, upset maybe. He wondered what was bothering her and then remembered the shock she'd received: she had no family except the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher; not exactly the greatest father figure.

"You okay?" He asked her leaning down beside her. She looked up at him and her breath caught, his eyes were so warm, his smile kind and his hair... she just wanted to run her hands through it and pull him down into a kiss.

"I'm fine." Ginny replied getting up. "I - I've got to go talk to Snape about - I gotta go." She lept to her feet, grabbed her bag and took off back towards the school. Draco and Hermione stared at the Italian and then after the girl running into the school.

"What'd you do mate?" Draco asked trying not to laugh. Hermione was having a hard time not laughing as well and Blaise glared at the pair.

"I didn't do anything." He got up, the glare still present but it was directed more at himself than the pair on the ground. "I'll see you later." With that he walked back in the general direction of the school, wondering what had come over Ginny causing her to _run away_ from him.

"How long do you think it'll take them to figure it out?" Draco asked Hermione after they'd stopped laughing.

"Her I'll give until after Christmas, him though, I don't know." She shook her head causing her hair to fall in front of her face. Draco reached out and gently brushed it behind her ear, causing her to blush.

"He's probably been told off by his mother so I think it'll take him until he see's her at the ball for the light to go on."

"But she's not going to the ball." Hermione sighed, her thoughts returning to the fact that she'd be forced to go with Ron unless someone else asked her.

Draco smiled knowingly, "Just wait until after the break, _sure_ she'll change her mind."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Christmas Eve at the Burrow was always a busy time full of laughter, songs and plenty of wild snowball fights that had a tendency to find their way inside; this year however it was a little more sombre as Ginny was forced to pack all of her belongings so that by the end of the school year she could move into a house with Lupin.

She was furious and took it out on her father as often as she could, muttering, yelling at him and sometimes the casual hex would fly by his ear. Remus didn't blame her, here he was: an absent father come to take her away from the only home she'd ever known.

Hermione sympathized with her friend and did everything she could to help her. She even went so far as to gossip with Ginny about the two Slytherins that they'd begun hanging out with.

"Blaise seems quite nice." The older girl pointed out one morning as they were having tea and watching the boys bombard newly arrived guests with snowballs. Ginny went a little pink and nodded, focusing on her tea.

"You and Draco seem to be getting along quite well." Came the subject change after a few minutes, Ginny liked Blaise, she just wasn't sure that she _liked_ Blaise and so she didn't really want to talk about it. "Did you get him a card?"

Hermione sighed "Yes I did. I just sent it off; did you?" Ginny nodded, she'd sent him a card with a note reminding him to find jewelry for Hermione and not to chicken out.

"Yep." The two girls spent the rest of the time chatting idly about random subjects until they saw Snape and Tonks walk over the hill, laden with gifts, laughing about something. "I'll be right back." Ginny said setting her cup of tea down and walking to meet her favourite teacher.

"Hey Happy Christmas." She smiled and picked up the two gifts that Tonks had dropped.

"Same to you and thanks." Tonks replied smiling sheepishly. "How's break been so far?"

"Hell. Lupin's making me pack up my stuff so that I'll be ready to move in with him at the end of the year." Ginny glared at the man in question as they passed him. Tonks and Snape exchanged looks and sighed, it was time for them to have another talk with the young witch in front of them.

* * *

That same day at Malfoy Mansion, Draco was talking to his mother, trying to figure out how to tell her that he wanted to go to the Founder's Ball with a muggle born.

"Mother, I have to tell you something." He began, praying that his father stayed out all night like he was supposed to.

"Draco what is it? You seem so serious." Narcissa had never seen her son like this before. She was in a more understanding mood than she usually would've been since she had gotten a package in the mail containing things from her school days; pictures of her and her friends, and the charms that they had made one another, hers was on a slim chain around her neck.

Draco took a deep breath before continuing, "You see there's this girl that I want to take to the Founder's Ball but you and father won't approve." He watched for her reaction and seeing none carried on "She's the kindest, smartest, most amazing witch I've ever met and, well she's..."

"She's a muggle born isn't she?" Narcissa asked quietly and watched as her beloved son nodded and fixed her with a hard stare that told her he'd fight for his right to see who he wanted. She smiled and gently touched his hand, "Two of my best friends in school were muggle born."

Draco stared at his mother incredulous, "Really?"

She laughed and nodded, "Now, who is this young woman and what were you planning to get her for the invitation?"

"Her name is Hermione Granger and I was thinking I'd get her the jewelry." Narcissa nodded, she remembered hearing of the young muggle born from her husband; she then mentally went through her jewelry thinking what she could offer her son.

"What were you thinking for the stone?"

"Her best friend told me that her favourite is lapis lazuli." Draco never could remember his mother ever wearing the deep blue stone.

"I think I might have one or two sets but I'm not sure." Narcissa thought for a moment "Well lets go and check I never really liked the stone so I might've gotten rid of them but there's also the possibility that I put them up in the attic." Draco nodded and followed his mother upstairs.

* * *

"Mother I have no idea what stone to get for her. Hell I don't even know for sure if she'll say yes." Blaise said exasperatedly to Serafina as the two of them rifled through all the jewelry in the house. His mother ignored him as she put another case of family jewels on the table between the two of them.

"Well you won't know unless you ask her and you can't ask her without a gift." She pulled out a string of pearls and showed them to Blaise who wrinkled his nose, he hated pearls.

"What about these?" In her hands hung a dazzling set of rubies and diamonds. Blaise just shook his head and shifted things out of his way, he'd found what he wanted to give her.

After everything was moved he smiled at his mother "This is it." Serafina looked at the table and smiled at her son.

"It's perfect, she'll love them."

* * *

Ginny went to bed around one thirty in the morning; the Weasleys and their guests had kept the crazy pace going non stop since the arrival of Tonks and Snape. As she was waiting for sleep to claim her, she thought back to the conversation she'd had with the two people she'd just been told were her godparents;

_Snape and Tonks sat patiently while Ginny ranted on about her father and how horrible he was. "Ginny, sit down." Snape sighed when he realized that she wouldn't be quitting anytime soon. Hearing his tone, Ginny complied without argument; she hoped they were going to tell her a little more about her mother._

_"You have to start trying to work with your father Ginny." Tonks started and held up a hand with a firm glance when the girl opened her mouth to protest. "Yes, he wasn't the greatest father for the majority of your life but he had good reason to think that you'd be safer away from him, what if he hadn't been able to get you somewhere safe before he changed every month?"_

_Ginny looked away, she hadn't thought of that._

_"And you would've had a hard time going home for holidays if you didn't have a secure place to live." Snape added seeing that they were making progress. "Your father kept himself away from you all these years to keep you safe and to make sure that he had somewhere for you to call home when he did manage to have you in his life."_

_The young witch sat there in silence, processing everything and allowing for the shock as her view of her father changed._

_"There's something else, a couple of something else's actually." Tonks said as Snape's hand gently brushed hers. "First, we think that it's time you knew who your godparents are." She took a breath and looked at Snape who nodded, "Severus is your godfather - "_

_"Really?" Ginny stared at them, her eyes wide with shocked happiness, "You're my godfather? Is that why you were always so kind to me?" _

_He smiled softly and nodded "I didn't know at first but once it was confirmed I made sure that you knew I was there." _

_Tonks smiled at the love in his eyes before continuing "And I'm your godmother." She laughed at the expression on the girls face. "Second is that you're like your mother in more ways than you know. You inherited her little talent, one that I happen to share." She sat and waited for Ginny to realize what it was._

_"I'm a metamorphmagus aren't I?" She whispered softly; Tonks nodded and Ginny broke into a huge grin "I KNEW it! I've always been able to change I just never knew what was up but as soon as I met you and saw you do it ... That's soo cool!"_

_Her godparents laughed as she went on to ask Tonks all sorts of questions about their shared talent. They talked for hours and hardly noticed the time pass until the twins came and dragged them into the den for the tree trimming._

Ginny sighed as she remembered that after this year she wouldn't be taking part in the Weasley Christmas traditions, she'd be with her father, adjusting to a quiet life with just two people in a house as opposed to a loud and crazy life with nine people and a ghoul. She rolled over and stared out her window at the fading stars and hardly noticed as sleep claimed her.

* * *

The next morning Ginny awoke to Hermione shaking her shoulder "Come on, get up or the twins are gonna come in here and drag us downstairs." Ginny laughed and sprung out of bed and slipped her robe on.

"Hermione hang on a sec, would you tell me how this looks?" Ginny asked as she lengthened her hair and darkened the color to a deep scarlet.

Hermione turned and her jaw dropped "How'd you do that?"

"I'm a metamorphmagus, like Tonks; My mum was one and I guess I inherited it." She blushed a little. "So how's it look?"

"It looks great, the darker shade definitely compliments your complexion." Ginny smiled and the two girls made their way down to the den to begin opening gifts with the rest of the house.

When they walked in they saw that Mrs. Weasley had separated the gifts, by name of recipient, into piles; once everyone had grabbed their morning beverage and sat near their pile, the opening began. Everyone in the room was subjected to a Weasley jumper that was colored to fit them with a letter or picture fitting their personality knitted on the front; for example while the twins had "F" and "G" on them, Lupin's had a wolf and Snape's had a cauldron.

Ginny's haul included a ton of new quidditch supplies sent to her from Bill, a book on rare beasts sent from Charlie, a beautiful new eagle feather quill and leather bound journal from Hermione, a set of new scales and vial case from Snape; she came to a small case from Tonks wrapped in red, when she opened it, a charm, like a keychain laid in the box.

"It was you're mothers." The older woman said "We all had one, made for us by one of the other girls. The colors corresponded to whatever house the person who made it was in."

Ginny felt tears prickle as everyone stopped what they were doing to watch her examine the charm. "Slytherin, well of the names I remember, the only one that was in Slytherin was Narcissa." Tonks nodded, fondly remembering the Christmas when they all exchanged the charms.

"I think she would've wanted you to have it." Ginny smiled again, thanked the witch and gave her a fierce hug.

"Ginny, this is from me." Lupin said tentatively handing her another small box. She took it and let out a small cry when she opened it; inside, nestled on a bed of soft fabric, lay a silver locket on a thin, delicate chain.

"You're mother and I were going to give it to you the day you turned sixteen but I thought you might want to have it now." Ginny had no idea what to say so she just nodded as Tonks fastened it around her neck; she opened it and saw the picture of a woman who looked almost exactly like her but with black hair and startling ice blue eyes.

She stood and waked slowly over to where Remus stood, "Thank you ... Dad." She whispered and gave him a shy hug that he happily returned. Everyone watched, amazed at the change in Ginny but happy that she was beginning to accept the changes in her life.

After a few more hours of gift opening and eating and visiting everyone broke off into their own little groups; Ginny and Hermione made their way up to the room they shared to get dressed. When they walked in they were surprised to see two owls sitting on one of the beds.

"Hey, that's Draco's owl." Ginny said pointing to the large eagle owl, "I don't know anyone with a tawny owl do you?" Hermione shook her head as she took the note from the eagle owl's beak

**_Hermione, I found this while I was out with my parents and thought of you. I hope you like it. _**

**_Happy Christmas, Draco_**

She handed the note to Ginny as she untied the parcel from the owl's leg. She opened it and smiled, it was a new copy of Hogwarts: A History. "I can't believe he got this for me."

"Neither can I, you've already got one." Ginny shook her head, making a mental note to talk to Draco when they got back to school.

"My copy got attacked by Ron's stupid rat and Crookshanks didn't help when he tried to catch Scabbers." Hermione took her old copy out of her trunk "See?" True enough, the book was scratched up, a few pages were hanging out and there was an entire chunk of the back coverr that was missing.

"I've been meaning to fix it but everything just got so busy and I never got around to it." She gently ran her hand over the smooth cover of the new book "I just can't believe he remembered, I only mentioned it in passing about a month ago."

Ginny smiled and changed her mental note to one of praise; she took the note from the tawny owl and her eyes went wide when she read who it was from. She handed the note to Hermione and reached for the parcel.

Hermione took it, confused and opened it

_** Ginny, I'm not sure what I did to freak you out before we left for break but whatever it was I'm sorry. I didn't mean to and I hope you'll forgive me or at least tell me what it was so I won't do it again. I sincerely hope that you enjoy this gift since it was plainly made for you.**_

_**- Best wishes, Blaise.**_

"That's so sweet, what did he get you?" Hermione asked looking up from the note. Ginny carefully untied the beautiful silver ribbon from the box and lifted the lid to reveal a lovely potion timer set into a metal holder. The top of the holder was the likeness of a lion and the legs had snakes twirled around them.

"Ginny it's beautiful." Hermione said softly as her friend held it up to the light to see it better.

"I saw this in the Apothecary in Diagon Alley when we went to get our books," Ginny's voice was filled with awe and something else the Hermione couldn't quite place. "I wanted it so bad but I didn't have the money."

Ginny sat down on her bed and opened the bottom drawer of her nightstand, pulling out a wrapped parcel and tying it to the leg of Blaise's owl. She quickly jotted down a note and gave it to the owl as well. She watched as the owl flew out the window, "Hermione, do you think it's too late to ask Lu - Dad for the money to buy a dress?"

"Absolutely not, the ball's in May so you still have plenty of time to hunt for one." Hermione said happily. Ginny nodded smiling then she hopped up and shoved her quil and a piece of parchment into Hermione's hands.

"You better write to Draco and thank him or he's going to think that you hated it." Hermione laughed and complied while Ginny dressed. Once they were presentable and notes had been sent they headed back downstairs.

Ginny took a breath and walked over to her father while Hermione stood next to Tonks and watched. "D - dad," She began hesitantly, it was weird calling someone other that Arthur "dad".

"Ginny?" Remus stopped his conversation with Harry and turned to look at his daughter.

"Um, well there's this ball at school in May and I was kind of wanting to go but I don't have a dress and I was wondering if maybe I could, well I mean if you don't mind ..." She broke off, she hated asking for things that she really didn't need and she realized that Lupin might not have the money for her to get a dress. "You know what, never mind it's okay."

Remus took her hand as she turned to leave, "Come with me." He said and lead her into the empty den. "Are you trying to ask me for the money to buy a dress?"

She blushed and nodded "It doesn't have to be a very expensive one, I mean I'd be fine with a second hand one." She added quickly.

Remus chuckled, "Ginny, it's alright to ask me for things. I'm your father, and being a teenage girl I understand that it's almost mandatory for you to ask me for money." Ginny laughed, relaxing a bit. "Your mother had a few muggle relatives and with their help we set up a muggle bank account for you, I'll take you in and we'll get you access to it okay?"

She nodded, "Thanks." He smiled at her and gently touched her cheek.

"Always. That's what I'm here for." He paused "Ginny what did Molly tell you your full name was?"

"Ginerva Molly Weasley." Ginny said wrinkling her nose "I always hated that name." Remus stared at her, an odd look in his face.

"Where the hell did she get 'Ginerva'?" He muttered shaking his head. "Well I can tell for sure that that is _**not**_ the name your mother and I gave you."

"Thank God." She sighed smiling a little "What _**is**_ my name?"

"Virginia Ceilí Lupin." He replied handing her her birth certificate. "The middle name is pronounced like 'Kayleigh'; you're named after my grandmother and your mother's late sister."

"It's pretty. Why's it spelled so weird?" Ginny asked frowning at the odd spelling.

"You're mother's from Ireland. It's a family name, there's at at least one person in each generation that has that name." Remus said shaking his head. "They think that bad luck will befall the family if the name isn't present."

Ginny gave a sarcastic little chuckle "Well you can let them know that bad luck befell a family with the name in it so they don't have to worry."

Remus matched her chuckle with a wry one of his own "They don't talk to me anymore. They seem to believe that it was my being a werewolf that got Raven killed. And then they deemed me unfit to raise their granddaughter and tried to make me give you to them, permanently."

"Wow really?" Lupin nodded but was prevented from saying anything else by Molly shouting that there was more food.

"I swear that woman isn't happy unless she's watching people stuff their faces." Ginny said as the father and daughter walked back into the kitchen.

Lupin barked out a laugh and was soon bombarded by Harry wanting to talk more about patronus lessons. Ginny made her way over to where Tonks stood half listening to Hermione and Snape's conversation.

"Tonks would you help me with something?" She asked the older woman.

"Sure what do you need?"

"I have to pick out a dress for a ball in May and was wondering if you'd come along."

Tonks smiled and hugged her goddaughter "Of course I will." Ginny smiled brightly and was then dragged into a potions debate with Snape and Hermione.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Ginny and Tonks walked through the streets of muggle London, examining window displays trying to decide which dress shop to start looking in.

"Maybe I should just use a dress that I already have." Ginny said as she saw some of the price tags on the dresses in the first shop. "These are all too extravagant anyways."

"Ginny, you're looking for a dress to wear to a ball that's celebrating the founding of one the best schools in the country." Tonks said, astounded at how little the girl cared. "I think extravagant is what they're going for."

Ginny shrugged "I don't do extravagant well." She pushed a couple dresses out of the way so she could get a better look at a gold fit and flare dress. "What about this one?"

Tonks looked over, "I don't think so, it'll make you look pasty." She held out a sleek black one "How about this?"

Ginny wrinkled her nose "I'll look like I'm attending a very posh funeral." She sighed and walked to another rack "I thought this was supposed to be fun. Everybody always goes on about how much fun it is to shop for something to wear to a ball, this just seems like it's going to be tedious."

Tonks shook her head and resumed flipping through dresses. An hour later Tonks was just about ready to give up; she'd shown Ginny almost a hundred dresses and all of them had _something_ wrong with them: this one was too short, that one was too puffy, that was a ugly color, Tonks wanted to take the girl home and make her go to the ball in a potato sack.

Ginny was ready to pull her hair out, she wasn't finding a dress and she was reverting to her complete lack of interest in the whole thing. She sighed when she heard Tonks call her over. "What did you find?"

"This." Said the older woman with a hopeful smile; the dress had none of the "flaws" all the others had, it was a mermaid silhouette which they had already determined looked amazing on Ginny and best of all, it was on sale so Ginny couldn't complain that she was spending too much.

"Tonks it's..." Ginny broke off, she'd been ready to point out the obvious flaws but when she looked at it, she saw none. "Let me try it on." She said, thinking the flaws would be easier to find while wearing it.

A few minutes later Ginny walked out of the dressing room and everyone in the shop stopped to look at her. "Tonks... It's perfect." The girl said getting a little teary.

"I know." Tonks said smiling at the girl. "So, are you going to get it or stand there and cry?"

"I'm not crying." Ginny said, wiping at her eyes "And yes I'm going to get it."

* * *

Ginny closed the lid of her trunk after unpacking; they'd arrived at Hogwarts that morning and she'd just been submitted to squeals and giggles when the girls in her dorm found out that she was going to the ball. Ginny heard the sounds of those same girls coming back upstairs; she quickly grabbed a sweater and headed outside for a walk, desperate to get outside for some time to herself.

As she was walking by the qudditch pitch a few minutes later, she saw Hermione, Draco and Blaise under a set of goal posts. She was just about to wave hello when a snowball hit her right in the side of the head.

Fuming, she spun around and proceeded to yell at the seventh year who had done it who was so taken aback by this reaction, he stepped back, slipped and fell into a puddle of muddy slush.

Feeling a little happier, Ginny turned and continued over to where Hermione was with the guys. "Hey guys how's it going?"

"Okay. Hermione was just telling us that you bought a dress..." Draco said carefully remembering her reaction last time the ball was mentioned.

"Yes I did." Was all Ginny said before changing the subject "Thanks again for the potion timer." She told Blaise with a smile.

"You're welcome, I thought you'd like it." He smiled back, not surprised that she didn't mention what he'd put in the note.

"So, Hermione, what color's the dress you're wearing to the ball?" Draco asked her casually, he was trying to make sure the jewelry set he and his mother found would work; to make the question seem less conspicuous, he'd asked several other girls the same question making it seem as though he hadn't decided who he was going with.

Hermione looked startled by the question and looked at Ginny who shrugged. "Um, well it's gold."

"How very fitting." Blaise laughed.

Ginny smacked his arm "Shut up. Or do you want to tell us what color your dress is?" She smirked at the look on his face as Draco and Hermione laughed.

"So what color is your dress Red?" The Italian asked her an eyebrow raised.

"You're just gonna have to wait til the ball now aren't you?" She said smoothly "Unless of course, you're asking me and if you are you're short one gift."

Blaise stood there opening and closing his mouth, trying to figure out if she'd insulted him and if so, exactly how he was supposed to respond.

Draco, trying not to laugh at his friend, started talking about the upcoming Quidditch match, a poor choice since it was a subject that Hermione had never managed to grasp.

After a few minutes of her confusion, Draco used his wand to draw a simple diagram in the snow and proceeded to explain the game in it's entirety to the brunette in a way that Harry and Ron had never done.

Ginny and Blaise watched from a small distance away, a small smile playing on the redhead's lips. "He really likes her doesn't he?" She asked Blaise.

Blaise looked at her "How'd you know?"

"Who do you think has been giving him human lessons? His father?"

He snorted "Yeah cause Lucius would be able to give human lessons."

She laughed "So, have you figured out who you're asking to the ball?"

"Yeah I've got someone in mind but..." He shook his head and watched as Draco began explaining the balls used in Quidditch, complete with replicas made of snow.

"But what?" Ginny asked, tilting her head to one side.

"But I'm not sure if she'll say yes. She's kinda defensive and not a big fan of the whole all thing."

"Well you won't know if you don't ask her." Ginny said, suppressing a laugh as Draco's snow bludger took a shot at his head.

"True. One of my main issues is that I don't know where to ask her." He said ducking as the bludger flew past his own head.

"Well, something I've told Draco for when he asks Hermione, is to do it where she feels comfortable and if there are people around, to make sure they are somewhat separated."

Blaise nodded "so he plans to do it in the library then?"

"Is she really that predictable?" Ginny laughed at his responding nod. "Well maybe I should give her lessons in spontaneity."

Blaise chuckled as Hermione destroyed Draco's snow models as the bell for class rang. As the group walked up to the school he thought carefully about what Ginny had said; the one place that he knew Ginny felt comfortable was the Potions lab. He promised himself that within the next couple of days he'd corner her there and ask her to the ball; he could only pray that she'd say yes.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Ginny stood in the Potions Lab stirring the contents of a cauldron as she stared intently at the recipe for a Draught of Peace. She was so concentrated on her work that she didn't hear the door to the lab open and close as someone entered.

"What'cha up to Red?" Blaise's cool voice broke the absolute silence of the room.

Ginny screamed, spun around, flicked her wand and sent Blaise flying across the room and into a wall.

"Oh my God! Blaise are you alright?" Ginny advanced on the boy, kneeling at his side, her hands moving to his head to assess any and all damage.

He laughed after he caught his breath and gently moved her aside so he could stand up. "I'm fine Red. Now to repeat the question, what'cha up to?"

"Apparently I'm throwing people across the room." She smiled and turned back to her cauldron. "What are you doing here? Snape doesn't exactly like people in the lab when he's not here."

"Then I could ask you the same thing." He smirked as her eyes narrowed at the turn around.

"I'm different. Snape trusts me not to blow up the castle. The rest of you on the other hand ..."

"Very funny Red." Blaise looked in the cauldron, "What are you making?"

"Draught of Peace. The Hospital Wing needs new a new supply since exams are coming." Ginny barely looked up as she answered.

"Can you leave it for a few minutes? There's something I'd like to talk to you about."

Ginny studied the potion for a moment more before turning to face him. "Sure what's up?"

Blaise pulled a velvet case from his bag and handed it to her "Will you go to the Founder's Ball with me?"

Ginny stared at him for a second - processing the request. "Yes. Of course I'll go with you." She smiled and was about to put the box down when he stopped her.

"You're not going to look at them? It took me hours to pick them." His voice had a strangled quality to it and she laughed.

"Alright." She carefully lifted the lid and stared in awe at the set in the box. To say that they were gorgeous was an understatement; there were coils and loops of silver with diamonds and emeralds placed throughout. When she thought about her dress she smiled at the scene that was going happen when they walked in.

"They're amazing Blaise. I love them."

He smiled "Good. Not that my mother doesn't have about a dozen back up sets just waiting to be sent." He laughed at the look on her face "But this is the set _I _picked and I wanted you to like them.

She laughed quietly as she turned back to the cauldron "Your mother helped you pick them out?"

"Yes, no, well kind of." He leaned against a table across from her. "She brought out all of her jewellery and trust me, she's got a lot, and we went through them. It took hours."

"Why does she have so much? I mean, I imagine the wealthy have more cause to wear and collect but it sounds like your mother has more than usual."

"Well, it was basically all her husband's ever got her. Birthdays, Christmas, Valentine's you name it those guys would come home with necklaces, earrings, bracelets. They were really unoriginal." He chuckled. "Not to say that my mother didn't like it, but she has her favorite sets and most of them are from my father. Or so she tells me."

Ginny smiled and went to check the potion; she was silent as she stirred the liquid a few times before waving her wand and watched as the cauldron poured its contents into labelled vials that settled themselves onto a table to cool.

"Meet me in the library tonight for some study time?" He asked as they gathered their things and headed for the door.

"Sure, I'm gonna be there after dinner with Hermione, you're more than welcome to join us. You could even bring Draco, I'm sure she won't mind."

Blaise laughed and followed her down the hallway "Yeah I think they'll both enjoy that. By the way, how to Potter and Weasley feel about that?"

Ginny turned to look at him, "About what? Oh Hermione's thing for Malfoy?"

"Um… Yeah?"

"No idea. I'm not sure if they've noticed yet." She chuckled and shook her head "It should be interesting when they finally do."

* * *

"Man, you need to ask her." Blaise was laying on a bed in the Slytherin dormitory as Draco paced in front of him. "You've had half a dozen chances and you haven't asked her anything except how to spell '_Plangentines_'."

"Yeah and I still spelled it wrong." The blonde rolled his eyes and flopped face first onto his bed.

"The Founder's Ball is in three days."

"I know." Came the muffled reply.

"If you don't hurry up and ask her, somebody else will."

"I know." Still muffled but now more annoyed and Blaise knew he was finally making some progress.

"Weasley might ask her. Or Potter. Or both, then she'd have to choose. If you asked her after that, she'll want to know why you waited so long. She might even think you're only asking her to piss Weasley and Potter off."

Without another word Draco was up and out of the dormitory; Blaise sat up, pulled the jewellery case from the trunk at the end of his friend's bed and held it out. Silently Draco stormed back in, snatched the case and stormed back out again.

Chuckling softly, Blaise followed his friend out, hoping that his friend had _finally_ grown a pair.

* * *

Here's a link to the picture that I imagine the set Blaise gave to Ginny

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